Here Are Two Women Who Left The Hectic City Life For The Tranquility Of Goa

IWB Post

June 13, 2018

At some point, most of us have contemplated leaving the fast-paced city life behind and shifting to Goa. Well, prepare yourselves to be bathed in envy as I tell you that there exist women who have actually done it while you still make failed plans for your first trip to Goa.

Homegrown recently reached out to some of these women who were bold and brazen enough to break free of their comfort zones, listen to their hearts and make the big shift to Goa. Here are excerpts from what two such women had to share about the art of living in Goa:

Kyla D’Souza, 28

“I simply needed a more peaceful and productive life. Having lived in metropolitan cities—Bangalore, Moscow, New Delhi, Mumbai and New York—my whole life, I grew tired of the stress and struggles that come with big cities,” shares 28-year-old Kyla D’Souza.

She is exploring the real essence of Goa life and not the jazzed up version of it that we have in our heads though. She says, “People think living in Goa means chilling 24×7. It’s not I work here, I run a home here and I live here.”

Kyla has a message for everyone who has been itching to break free from the city life but is confined by their comfort zones. She says, “If it is something you think you would like, go for it. Don’t be afraid to say ‘it’s not for me’ either because it isn’t for everyone. At the end of the day though, you never know unless you give it a go.”

The founder and artistic director of The Peas & Carrots Theatre Co., Kyla is working in Goa towards creating plays which reach out to everyone and are timeless and universal.

“I also design and conduct workshops for emerging and established artists, schools, colleges and corporates interested in experiential learning through theatre. Currently, I am guest faculty at the Goa Institute of Management, Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, and also play the role of Babette the Feather Duster in Disney India’s Beauty and the Beast,” Kyla shares.

Talking about the shift she says, “I simply needed a more peaceful and productive life. Having lived in metropolitan cities—Bangalore, Moscow, New Delhi, Mumbai and New York—my whole life, I grew tired of the stress and struggles that come with big cities.”

Sharing about how the work culture of the city acted as a trigger for her shift, Kyla says, “Theatre is getting more and more commercial, and while that works for some, it didn’t work for me. I found that English theatre was making huge strides in some aspects, but in a lot of cases, its standards were dropping. This isn’t just about shows or performances. Students are charged exorbitantly for workshops and theatre courses only to receive below-average training. I started my own theatre company to change that, but I knew that as a start-up I couldn’t compete with other, more established organisations out there. And honestly, I did not want to.”

Kyla recognised the lack of English theatre in Goa and started working on it. She shares, “There is a huge need for English theatre here. I saw that opportunity and I took advantage of it. As an artist, you never know where your next pay cheque is coming from. There are months when you have nothing going on and months when you have no time to eat, sleep or even breathe. I found that during both these periods, I’d rather be able to work in a place that allows me to be me as well as unwind.”

Talking about the perks of leading the Goa life, Kyla shares, “It has brought out the best in me, both, personally and professionally. I’ve had to struggle some days but most days, I wake up thinking that it’s good to be alive. Also, I live on the beach and a beer costs Rs. 37. It helps.”

Snigdha Manchanda, 32

“Goa was never a part of my plan,” says 32-year-oldSnigdha Manchanda who anyway ended up in Goa.

A tea sommelier and the founder of TeaTrunk.com, Snigdha shares how she ended up in Goa, “A friend of mine was moving to Goa and she suggested that I check it out. I stayed with her for a month and there was no going back. Goa had everything I needed to set up my e-commerce business and it required only half the capital I would have needed in Mumbai. It was perfect.”

It’s the proximity to nature and the luxurious space in Goa that talks to Snighda’s soul. She shares, “Our studio is based out of a villa on the fringes of a valley. When you move out of tiny apartments in Mumbai, the sense of space is overwhelming. I love how nature is interspersed. I love that Shinrin Yoku (a Japanese term for forest bathing) is a minute away from wherever I am in Goa. I look back at my Instagram feed from Mumbai and there were photos of restaurants, food, parties and now my feed has fruits that grow in my backyard, birds that come to visit, and meals cooked by me. That’s a drastic shift in life and landscape.”

She, however, opens our eyes to the fact that it is not all rosy and living the life of your dreams always comes with a price. Snigdha shares, “Those planning to move here should gain the right insights and prepare well. It’s not all rosy and cosy. You may have to give up a few small comforts of life. There is clearly a trade-off and you should be willing to pay the price. Often I am asked when the best time to move to Goa is, and my answer is always the same—now! There is never a better time to do what you love the most.”